Ernie, the new neighborhood, and the zucchini

We're settling in to our new home, new neighborhood, and, frankly, new life nicely. The last 6 months have been a blur at best.  I have already played bunco - 2 days after the moving truck left!  Dru and Ernie and Evelyn have already had their first playdate - with the nicest person I could possibly imagine meeting the first day we were here. She has 3 awesome kids, each about a year older than ours.  When arriving home from our playdate, 3 more neighbors came by the house with amazing chocolate chip cookies, lots of kids, and we played some more.

The next day another neighbor dropped off brownies!  And a day later more brownies.  And another playdate!

God is good.  Really.  This could have been a disaster.  The market is tough right now (understatement), buying a home is riddled with uncertainty, but God put us right here and has put his arms around us and made this our home.

Yesterday afternoon it was gorgeous - 70 degrees, windy, the kids were playing outside. I was going to setup our new composting bin in the back yard.  Dru and Ernie had just been whisked away to a playdate by some new friends. Our neighbors behind us came out to sit on their back porch (they were great friends with the former owners) and had drinks in their hands.  We had a couple of Sunday afternoon cocktails instead of doing what we set out to do.  And it didn't matter.  We love our new neighbors.  All of them!  What a warm welcome everyone has extended to us.  Our neighbor was concerned about the kids cutting through our neighbor's yard - they didn't know each other because the ages of their kids was so different.  Issue solved! As long as the kids go under the arbor, they're welcome! Yay!  Now no one has to wonder, or feel bad, and if they change their mind they can tell us easily.  

Gene made some shrimp.  Bob and Janet were pretty thrilled.  Then Amy came back with Dru and Ernie.  She asked, "Do your kids always eat raw vegetables?" I was thinking, what did he eat a raw Jicama or something?  Apparently it was dinner time and the boys needed to come home, so Amy walked them through Bob's yard, where we were on the back porch.  She was astonished that Ernie ate raw zucchini.  Oh boy. He saw her cutting something and asked if he could have some.  No butter, no steam, just raw like crudites.  I suggested to her that she send her boys (she has 4) to my house for a week ;)

I'm still missing my buddies in NC. It will take quite a bit of time before I don't.  And it will take a while for me to know where to go and what to do here, but we'll get that worked out.

Sadly, I'll miss Dru's first little league practice, I'll be on a plane to go see my mom finally.  She's made miraculous progress.  Bless her heart and the time she's spent in and out of the hospital, ICU, rehab and nursing facilities. One heck of a winter vacation she's had this year.  She just wants to be home.  I get that.  For all she's done for me and my family, I can't wait to sit by her side, get her a cup of coffee, give her a hug and listen for a while.  

Pictures will start flowing again soon - I've been a little preoccupied.  And, as luck would have it, we're all sick again.  I'm hoping to stave off the sinus infection, but Ernie, Gene, and Dru are taking it pretty hard.  Ernie's had a fever, Dru and Ernie's asthma is in high gear, and Gene feels like garbage. Maybe it's from the pool last week and it will self-resolve?  One can only hope.  So, I was hoping to not need a GP and pediatrician right away, but it looks like God's got a different plan.  Alrighty then, we'll get right on it!

Yours in cookies, brownies, and zucchini,

M

*Lollipops* *hyacinth* *canes game*

If you are a woman, you've probably been to the gynecologist's office.
There are sometimes lollipops at the desk when you check out. My kids
think there are lollipops in the exam room too. They were fighting
over them, as a matter of fact.

Then there are the lovely pink blooms I'll miss so much. I met the
new owner tonight - amidst total chaos of cooking dinner, arranging to
see my mom in AZ, and haivng a friend/neighbor stop by, and calling my
dad to finalize the plan - I let her know that the bulb needs to be
split, into about 7 bulbs!

She has a dog and a cat - and will likely put up a fence right away.
I hope that she appreciates that we've been good stewards to her home
and land. I get the sense that she does.

The next picture is of our last Canes game. Sniffle. I'm glad we
went, the kids so love their Carolina Hurricanes.

Erin go Bragh(less)

She did - and so should you.  I declare March 17th FEEL YOUR BOOBIES DAY!  There. Now go get a mammogram. I just did!

Ernie, my precious flower.

I swear my son insisted on wearing his sister's headband. I SWEAR IT!
The funnier part of this is that while Evelyn offed with some poor
kid's shoes (his mom was panicked and figured them stolen until she
spied them on her) ... some little girl walked out of the play area
with Ernie's headband on!!

My peach tree, from a peach pit, is finally blooming

As I was taking a walk around my yard I saw that my peach tree - which
sprouted from a peach pit tossed in the compost pile a few years back
- had finally blossomed. How glorious! I wish we could dig up the
tree and bring it with us, but, sadly, it just isn't going to happen.
Fire ants, the whole movers not moving living plants - and then of
course, the rest of us going in the minivan - take your pick of
reasons. I will forever remember growing a peach tree from a pit. And
getting it bloom. Beautiful, aren't they? Sniffle.

Marbles, Ash Wednesday lunch at Peiwei

A meltdown, some pom poms, a few dozen chopsticks ... Here's what
we've been up to for the last week or so. Looking forward to more
consistent blogging again soon ! Only a few more days till we're in
CHICAGO!

Dru, Secret Agent Man. Los Tres Amigos

During one of our last visits to Dru's school. We spied that Dru
wanted to be a secret agent. Ernie seems to fit the bill best. Dru,
Ernie, and Evelyn waiting for story time to start.

this is the smile. And the sound that goes with it is intoxicating.

I "got" her while playing "I'm gonna get you" ... she thought she had
out-smarted mommy by going in the opposite direction. she didn't
understand that mommy would be doing the same thing. million dollar
smile, babycakes.

Buy my house! Here's a virtual tour of it!

http://www.videocommercial.com/ivt/Doss9309/index.htm

100 days celebration

Yesterday I blogged about Dru and his 100 day project. Today, we went
to his classroom, and participated in 100 day activities. I was so
proud of Dru when the teacher asked, "how might you count to 100 more
quickly than counting by 1's?" and he answered, "by 50s!

We flipped pennies, rolled dice, drew a picture of ourself at 100,
listed what we might buy with $100, made a hat with 100 stamps on it,
and made a snack with 100 items in it. Evelyn was particularly fond
of the marshmallows. Have I mentioned that Gene has me convinced that
she's an iguana? Well, it's even more evident when she eats
marshmallows.

Ernie was into the blocks, but really enjoyed sitting at the snack
table. Evelyn was into Carly, the turtle, and the flags. And, as
usual, she cracked up Dru's class. They just adore her. Then, we
came home, and I made essentially what I made last night with a few
changes. It's basically Chicken soup with dark stock - but it's not a
lot of the liquid. Is there a name for that dish? It was caramelized
onions, celery and garlic, deglazed with stock, then fresh tomato,
musrhroom, and chicken. Topped with some romano. Yummmmmmmmy! I
couldn't wait to get to the bottom so I could slurp it!